Japan: Concrete and Light

Le Corbsuier's Chapel of Notre Dame-du-haut is one of the finest examples of the dramatic use of concrete in architecture. A few decades later, Tadao Ando brought the concept back in style. His most famous include The Church of Light and the Church on the Water, both in Japan. 

The Church of Light by Tadao Ando, Image: http://www.flickr.com/

Japanese architecture is well-known for its minimalism and simplicity. It has been crucial to the evolution of the International Style and the Art & Craft Movements which later led to the evolution of Modern Architecture. 

The Church of Light in Ibaraki, 25 km outside of Osaka in Japan (1989) is a stunning example bringing together nature and architecture to recreate a spiritual power without usage of any symbolic decoration or art. The building structure is simple, composed of rectangular concrete panels cut through with a free-standing wall. 

The Cross, cut out on the Eastern Facade, Image: © Antje Verena

Behind the altar on the eastern facade, a cross is cut out in the free standing panel to let in light. Originally, Tadao Ando intended the cross to stay open to let in the elements. But owing to the freezing conditions in the winter months, it was closed with glazing. 

Image Source: www.buamai.com

A closer look at the glazing within the cross, Image: http://www.archdaily.com/

The light shining through casts reflections on the concrete roof and the blackened cedar floor, creating a meditative place of worship. The powerful effect created eliminates any need of ornamentation or religious art in the interiors. 

The dramatic play on shadows and light, Image: www.milamoo.co.uk

The austere interior comes alive with the ever-changing dramatic play of light and shadow, evoking a sense of spiritual presence.

Every detail in the Church has been laid out with utmost precision. The grooves on the concrete panels, the seams of the concrete form-work, all align perfectly with the cross. Tadao Ando worked with the finest Japanese craftsmen to bring the project to life. The planks and scaffolding used during construction of the building have been re-used in the interiors of the Church.

The Black Cedar Flooring; wood used for the scaffolding has been reused to make the benches
Image: http://architecturalmoleskine.blogspot.in/

Japanese architecture is known for its continuity between interior and exterior spaces; A simple cross resting on grass in the exterior. Image: http://architecturalmoleskine.blogspot.in/

Netherlands: A House in the Air

Source: http://www.mvrdv.nl/

Like they say, architectural design evolves better when built around constraints. The WoZoCo Housing Estate in Amsterdam, Netherlands by MVRDV is an awesome example of innovation driven by constraints. The project was commissioned to create 100 housing units for elderly people (over 55 years of age). 

WoZoCo Housing Estate for the elderly in Amsterdam, Source: http://www.mvrdv.nl/

Source: http://www.mvrdv.nl/

The cantilevered projections in the Northern Facade and staggered windows and balconies
give the otherwise simple housing block its unique character 

Its hard to believe that complete housing units lie within the projecting blocks!

The Challenge

Rapid development in the area since the 1950's has increasingly put the green cover in the region under pressure. Also, Urban development planning regulations in Amsterdam restricts the maximum number of units in a block to 87. Hence to address building height regulations and norms without compromising on the green cover around the block and at the same time, to provide the number of units required by the client, 13 housing units were cantilevered from the North facade. 

An inside view of the projected units, Source: http://www.mvrdv.nl/

The cantilevered housing units, Source: http://www.sukiscoop.com/

Meeting the challenge of providing all 100 houses would have inevitably taken the budget beyond initial estimates. But amazingly, built between between 1994 and 1997, construction cost for this project was among the lowest in the housing segment at the time. To stay within budget, the plans and materials used were kept simple. Using a collage of simple elements like colored glass, doors and windows, the building has been transformed into a landmark project.

The balconies highlighted by colored glass, Source: http://curious-places.blogspot.in/

A View of the Southern Facade, Image Credit: Dirk Verwoerd

The southern facade looks like a wooden sheathed dresser with staggered open colored glass drawers. 

The staggered colored balconies, Image Credit: Helioscribe at Flickr

Source: http://www.corbisimages.com/

The structural support for the cantilevered portions is carefully concealed within the timber cladding and main body of the housing block

Source: © Samuel Ludwig www.samueltludwig.com

Source: © Samuel Ludwig www.samueltludwig.com

France: Concrete Poetry

Built completely in concrete and stone, the Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp (France), completed in 1954 is one of the most celebrated works of Le Corbusier, the Franco-Swiss architect known for his Modern designs.

The Notre Dame du Haut designed by Le Corbusier
Source:http://www.bluffton.edu/

The Outdoor altar set against the Eastern Facade,
Picture by: Fransesco Di Capua

The North Facade, Source: http://the189.com/

The chapel, as it looked in 1965, source: http://architecturalmoleskine.blogspot.in/

The chapel stands in a little town on a hill with lush greenery and uninterrupted views of neighboring villages. The building's powerful presence in the landscape, the dark dramatic Gothic interiors lit by diffused light, the raw, textured and austere finishes in stone and concrete, conjure up a powerful, yet humbling experience.The design invokes a feeling of awe while keeping alive the stories and history of the place. 

Hidden light sources and unique angular cutouts in the walls soften all the light entering the chapel, creating different shadows and hues throughout the day. Source: http://www.speirsandmajor.com/

The location was occupied by the Romans, then a Celtic shrine, followed by a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the 15th century which was destroyed by a fire in 1913. After being rebuilt in the Gothic style, it was again destroyed during the second World War. When Le Corbusier designed the new chapel in 1950, he built the structure around the ruins of the burnt Church. 

A pyramid erected using remnants of the original Church,
Source:  http://content.lib.washington.edu/

The eastern facade with the altar and the cross set against it, Source: http://www.waymarking.com/

The eastern facade has been designed with an altar both on the outside for an open congregation and the inside. The thick, white, roughcast concrete wall act as a frame for outdoor masses and worship, while the shell-like overhanging roof acts as a surrounding board for the hymns sung and the sermons given outside. 

The convex looking eastern facade which provides the perfect backdrop for the outdoor congregations, Source: http://www.arthitectural.com/

The pedestal provides for large outdoor congregations

Both areas are complete with the lectern, the man-sized Christian cross, the choir tribune and a rotatable statue of the virgin, an 18th century colored statue in a glass covered niche visible from both inside and outside. 

The little cut outs in the walls with the light shining through, look like stars from inside the chapel as we look upon the altar.

The staircase leading up to one of the smaller chapels, Source: http://www.bdonline.co.uk/

The glass niche with the statue of the virgin surrounded by tiny fenestrations in the wall
which let in just enough light to make them shine like stars behind the altar, Picture: Richard Anderson

The altar, the cross and the glass enclosure, Source: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/

The northern facade has the second entrance and the stairs. There are three smaller chapels within the interiors, each housed within one of the semi-cylindrical structures. The door is spectacularly framed between two semi circular cylinders which house the two of the chapels placed symmetrically along the axis of the door.

The three semi cylindrical structures housing the minor chapels, Source:http://www.dailyicon.net/

Source: http://www.bluffton.edu/

The south facade contains the main door, which is a colorful composition in red, yellow and blue by Le Corbusier himself.

The south facade, Source: http://www.flickr.com/

The entry is framed by grey concrete panels,
Source: http://www.bluffton.edu/

The main entrance door, source: http://architecturalmoleskine.blogspot.in/

This facade bears all the interesting cut outs which not only emphasize the thickness of the walls and the grainy texture on the walls, but are also used to create the mystical lighting effect in the interiors of the building. The angular depressions in the windows diffuse and soften the light entering the building to create an ethereal effect.

The colored glass within the openings, Source: Ed Tyler

The colors and shadows create a dramatic effect in the interior
Source: http://www.speirsandmajor.com/

Adding to the mystique, is a thin gap left between the walls and the roof. They not only allow thin strips of light, but also make the concrete roof look lighter. The walls are not load bearing. The roof is upheld by columns concealed within the walls!

The gap between the walls and roof gives a floating effect

The pews are also arranged at an angle further emphasizing the position of the altar.

The curved roof seems to float above the building, Source: http://archidialog.com/

The divine nature of the building, owing to its restrained, austere look and the dramatic play of light and shadows can be seen in many later projects like the Church of Light designed by Tadao Ando.

The Church of Light by Tadao Ando
Copyright © 2011 // Milamoo Creative Studio / Eden / 10-12 Woolpack Yard / Stricklandgate / Kendal / LA9 4NG

Netherlands: Tilted houses and neck gables

For many centuries, architecture and its unlimited possibilities remained in the hands of the rich and the influential. Design was beyond the reach of common man.

The Palace of Versailles in France, a typical example of the opulence and grandeur of Baroque Architecture
 Source: Photo © Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

As the Dutch navigators opened up new lands beyond the Indies, the 17th century saw countries like Belgium and Netherlands come into their own, thanks to their flourishing business and trade.  The new found economic strength of the farmers, weavers and craftsmen fueled the demand for handsome, yet unassuming and simple houses. Hence, a new simplified form of Baroque Architecture evolved.

This style of Baroque Architecture is best explained by the little cobbled streets and rows of narrow, tall houses lining the banks of the rivers and the canals in and around Belgium and the north east coast of France.

Image Credits: Parul Gupta

Amsterdam's Begijnhof court
Source: http://www.flickr.com/

Houses lining the canal in Amsterdam,
Source: http://www.busyasabeeinparis.com/

The famous "neck gables" at Amsterdam's Begijnhof court,
Source: http://www.tunliweb.no/

The houses were built with large windows to reduce the load on the structure. One of the main reasons for the narrow designs may have been a tax levied on the owners at the time as per street frontage.

Most of these narrow, tall houses are adorned with patterned brickwork and sharply pointed, stepped and even straight sided neck gables.

The straight decorated neck gable and the pulley to lift furniture and goods to upper floors
Source: http://www.traveljournals.net/

Stepped gables, Source: http://www.eurotravelogue.com/

Another unique feature of these houses are the pulleys above their topmost windows to lift furniture and goods to upper floors since these houses had very narrow staircases and in many cases the lower stories were used for warehousing.

Interestingly, many of these houses are also tilted towards the front, to save the building facade from damage while goods moved up and down. Though in some cases, the tilt is simply due to a damaged foundation.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has been gifting blue and white porcelain miniatures of these canal houses to their business class passengers since 1952. 

KLM Miniature Houses, Source: http://ednakylephotography.blogspot.in/

The bottles are filled with the famous Dutch genever, the original ingredient in most cocktails that use gin today. Every year, a new miniature is released on the 7th of October, KLM's founding anniversary date.  93 houses have been released so far!

House no. 87, Source: http://www.klmdutchhouses.com/

All these houses are replicas of actual buildings in Netherlands. In many cases, the porcelain figures even carry the address of the archetype.

The little porcelain houses that have gone on to become collectibles
Source: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/